1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weaponry training apparatus, but more particularly, the present invention relates to a gunnery training/diagnostic apparatus suitable for use aboard ship under simulated or actual firing conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, a need has been established to configure a portable, shipboard training/diagnostic apparatus so as to identify and correct operator or equipment related deficiencies prior to, and during, live ordnance firings on naval gun fire support (NGFS) ranges. The apparatus should permit hands-on operator training and equipment diagnostics on the ship's "machinery", i.e., fire control computer, gun fire control system, etc. This will result in fewer on-range abortions and reduced fuel useage, and create an effective training capability that will depend less on conditions, personnel and training regulations at the NGFS ranges.
Traditionally, the Navy has always had a problem in training for gunnery exercises. In the past, when at the NGFS ranges, there was no feedback mechanism to let the gunnery or training officer know what was wrong when targets were not hit. Typically, the gunnery personnel would go to the range aboard ship and just fire, and if the projectiles were on target then the gunnery exercise would be considered a success. However, if the projectiles were off target there was no way of ascertaining why they were off target, i.e., no "positive feedback".
A typical ship has a lot of "machinery" in the form of computers, navigational equipment and gun mounts that can malfunction. Also, there are spotters at the range whose primary job is to relay information back to the gunnery officer onboard ship relating to the projectiles being fired. There is a "safety zone" around the target, and if the projectiles are not within this safety zone, the range officer will generally require the exercise to cease. Now if the projectiles are within the safety zone, the training personnel can sit there all day and shoot at the targets without hitting them.
Even if the spotters tell a gunnery officer whether they are long or short of the target, this information is only useful if the patterns are predictable, i.e., constant. Accordingly, if the foregoing is the case there will be eventually a hit on the target. However, if the error is random, say, a human problem, there is no way to find this out during the gunnery exercise and compensate in a rational manner. The foregoing technique is quite time consuming, which translates into a higher cost in manhours, equipment and expenditures of projectiles.
Consequently, there is a need in the prior art to configure an apparatus that is portable and that can be carried onboard ship and connected to the ship's "machinery" and identify all of the errors in the system.
As further background material, U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,795, filed July 3, 1972, to Michelsen, entitled, "Weapon Aim Evaluation System", discloses a system for qualitatively indicating the accuracy of aim of a weapon including a transponder on the target to measure its range, signal means representing gun fire control parameters, a television camera to follow the target having means to signal the elevation and azimuth of this line of sight and also to register the position of a signal light on the aircraft. All of these signals are received by a data processing unit which calculates the path of a conventional projectile and compares it to the flight of the target. The system exhibits the score of hits or misses and errors in azimuth and elevation. The system does not appear to have the means to produce a display of navigation plots, fall of shot (FOS) plotting nor projectile velocity measurements.
Consequently, there is a need in the prior art to configure an apparatus to accomplish the foregoing while being portable and configured for temporary installation and operation onboard Navy ships.
The prior art, as indicated hereinabove, include advances in weaponry training systems. However, insofar as can be determined no prior art weaponry training system incorporates all of the features and advantages of the present invention.